Law is changed for hair braiding business
July 26, 2011 by Las Vegas Black Image Magazine
Filed under Conversation, Feature
by Kimberly Bailey-Tureaud
(L-R) State Sen. Joe Hardy; lobbyist Jeanette Belz; Curprice Smith-Luckert and Executive Director of Cosmetology Vincent Jimno.
What made you decide to open a business in Las Vegas?
We had several clients who would travel from Las Vegas to our salon in Beverly Hills to be serviced. They would always ask us to consider opening a location in Las Vegas, saying, “We could really use your service in Vegas for black hair care.”
What does your salon specialize in?
For our Las Vegas location, we plan on specializing in hair restoration, full-service styling and braiding. These will be our primary services, and then we will have nail services and sell hair.
Tell us about your crusade to change the Nevada law on behalf of hair braiders?
There was a previous Nevada law that stated hair braiders had to have 1,200 hours of cosmetology school in order to braid hair as a business and to get a hair design license. I challenged this and the law was changed on July 1. Currently, we are respectfully waiting for the law to be enacted.
What inspired you to fight the law?
I did a lot of research and found that California also pushed for people who braided hair to have a cosmetology license. I found that a woman in San Francisco fought the law and won. I called the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology several times to state my case, indicating that most cosmetology schools don’t teach braiding of the hair, so how do you expect people to learn it in 1,200 hours of cosmetology school that has a focus on chemical hair processing? I initially got nowhere with my complaint, so I looked up Nevada’s legislative statues which had gone into effect in 1984. I called the Nevada legislature and spoke to people on how I could start the process to change the law. I called Sen. Joe Hardy’s office and his assistant was kind enough to get me a meeting. My husband and I drove nine hours from California to Carson City for the meeting, and fortunately the senator understood my issue and put me in touch with Vincent Jimno, executive director of cosmetology for the state of Nevada, as well as lobbyist Jeanette Belz. I went back to California and started to put information and documentation together supporting why hair braiders should not be put under the same laws as cosmetologists. I had to state my case before the Legislature — the Assembly and the Senate. I won every time with unanimous votes, and now Senate Bill 193 is law that was signed by the governor, stating the hair braiders in Nevada only have to have 250 hours of cosmetology school dealing with sanitation and other things.
Where is your business located?
Our Hairess Featuring Angel Hair Braids is located at 2080 East Flamingo Road. People can contact us at 702-778-2668.
Welcome to Las Vegas!
Thank you!
Congrats!!!! I can’t wait to be pampered!!
Congratulations! I, too, wanted this law changed, but didn’t have the energy for the fight. Thank you for paving the way young lady. You are exemplary!
Does anyone know why African americans lack black male figures? Since our very first television show we have never had black dramas for a prolonged time. 1960 diahann Carroll “Julia” no husband, Get Christy love no husband, that’s my momma no husband, What’s happening no husband, sanford and son no wife, chico and the man no wife, the smart guy no wife, In the house no wife, tons and tons of singles shows. Even today Hawthorne no black husband, Desperate housewives vanessa williams divorced her husband, greys dr baily divorced her husband, private practice dr. daly’s husband was taken by her very best friend Dr. Montgormery. All we get is tons and tons of singles shows. Living single, single ladies, girlsfriends, real houswives with no husbands, basketball wives with no husband. Why doesn’t anyone notices the corelations between television and real life. Millions of black women are being ignored and left unappreciated and lack love from our black men. Why is it that we are bombarded by shows that lacks father and husbands. Do they want us gay? Can you plead with the television commision to allow us to have night drama where black couples can love even interacial couple now love.
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Thank you for inspiring me and because of you I now have my braiding license! ! Hard work did pay off. I’m sure I will never meet you so I had to post this and tell you THANK YOU for helping others get into the business!!